| are two reasons to ride at night - if you're | | | | that are guilty of that transgression. |
| commuting or if you simply get a kick out of heading | | | | Bicyclists who continue with these bad habits at night |
| downhill with only a cone of light showing your way. | | | | only exacerbate the problem. |
| This article discusses both kinds of lights. | | | | Biking at night is certainly possible, but it is important |
| Biking is one of the most enjoyable hobbies there is. | | | | to take some extra precautions. |
| However, biking is not always a hobby, | | | | 1. You Want To Be Seen |
| cost-conscious commuters also bike to and from | | | | 2. You Want To See |
| work. | | | | Being Seen |
| Unfortunately, bicycles are small in comparison to | | | | It is perhaps most important that you be seen, than |
| even motorcycles, and we all know how many | | | | anything else. To that end, the more lights the better. |
| motorcycle accidents there are. The most common | | | | It's possible to get small orange reflector lights that |
| comment from the motorist: "I didn't see him." | | | | you can attach to your biceps and even legs, so that |
| With bicycles, the situation is even more acute, as | | | | it's very easy for motorists to see you - much easier |
| not only can a motorist very easily not see you... but | | | | than if you just have reflectors which only light up |
| won't hear you either. It is important, therefore, that | | | | when a car headlight lands on it. |
| cyclists where bright clothing - incandescent orange | | | | Seeing |
| or yellow. This should be done in the daytime as well | | | | The technology for bike headlights has increased |
| as at night, but of course it is more important at | | | | tremendously in the last several years. Again, the |
| night. Nothing frightens a motorist more than to pass | | | | main goal is for motorists in front of you to be able |
| within a foot of a biker wearing a black jacket, black | | | | to see you, although it would also be nice if the front |
| pants, an underseat bag that obscures the reflector. | | | | light was powerful enough so that you can see in |
| Bicyclists often blame motorists for being unkind to | | | | front of you as well. |
| them. "They can slow down for a few seconds," is | | | | A new hobby for mountain bikers is to actually ride |
| their comment. But bicyclists don't take into account | | | | at night. Of course if you're going to do that you |
| a motorist's problems. The driver of a car has to pay | | | | want a really powerful light to ride behind. |
| attention to other cars to his left, behind him, and | | | | Lights can be helmet mounted or mounted on your |
| even to the right when he wants to make a turn. | | | | handlebars. The more powerful lights would be placed |
| Sometimes the roads are very narrow and not in the | | | | on your handlebars, of course. |
| best of condition...and then they come across a | | | | Manufacturers of such powerful lights include Light |
| bicyclist who weaves all over the road, or is biking | | | | & Motion, JetLites and NiteRider. |
| the wrong way down the road. It's usually children | | | | |